I think I have mentioned here before a lecture on Albert Jay Nock I gave in 1968. The lecture was attended by a fair-sized contingent of Randians and Rothbardians. The former, as this piece suggests, were certainly dogmatic enough. But both groups, as is also evident from this piece, were fundamentally essentialist: They had their schemata into which all could be shown to fit. I do not believe that reality can or was meant to be cut to our categories. It is our categories that must be altered to fit reality. And such was the basis of my disagreement at the time with both groups, though rest assured, we had some lively discussions.
The article was informative, but I find all the factions and labels of groups—a trend that continues, understandably, so people can explain themselves—ultimately confusing because the next person sets up a different criteria for new labels (to sell books, perhaps?), and so on. What matters is where people stand on issues based on what principles; and as for me, I've had difficulty labeling myself on these matters. About the best I've come up with is a characteristic, not a label—that I have libertarian leanings.
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